Itapecerica da Serra school assessment sparks racism controversy

A municipal school assessment in Itapecerica da Serra has sparked outrage after an illustration depicted a Black child inside a trash can. The image was part of a 25-page recycling-themed activity titled ‘A missão dos guardiões da Terra’ (The Mission of the Earth Guardians), intended for third-grade students.

The illustration featured seven children, five of whom were white, while the Black boy was shown inside a red recycling bin. Local authorities stated that the image was generated using artificial intelligence. The Secretary of Education, Irani Roschel, claimed there was no malicious intent or racism behind the choice, noting that the objective was to collect data for a nature-themed text and that the error went unnoticed during the review process.

Following the backlash, the municipal government announced it has discarded the activity, replaced it with corrected materials, and removed the digital version from teacher access. The administration of Ramon Corsini issued a statement repudiating all forms of racism and discrimination and offered apologies to the children involved.